SUNDAY POLITICS

WITH
THUNDER BLOWERS

(By Managing Editor)

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What transpired at the venue of the APC primary elections for Maru/Bungudu is a clear reflection of one step forward and two-step backward,, especially if the testimonies of the aggrieved aspirants are to be tested before a competent court of law. The candidate Zannan Bungudu need to act as true politician by getting the aggrieved candidates step down their grievances because I have the fear that the pre-election matter to be filed against his victory may result to something unwanted, “God-forbid”. THIS IS MY POLITICAL PRE-MONITION”

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There has been growing concern as to why APC and indeed the candidate that won the party primaries for Maru/Bungudu Abdulmalik Zubairu (Zannan Bungudu) should not under-estimate the steps already taken by the two aggrieved aspirants namely Abdulrahaman Tumbido and Dr. Bashir Maru challenging his victory.

I think every politician in Zamfara by now should have clearly understood the danger attached to pre-election cases, especially Zanna himself because he was once a victim of pre-election crises which saw the seizure of his victory in 2019 by the Nigeria’s Supreme Court.

Even before going to the primaries, I think if I were Zannan Bungudu I will use the mighty of the government and all stakeholders to make sure that a consensus was reached with the other aspirants because people like us believed that, since the government has already anointed a candidate emanating from the political consensus between Yari and Matawalle these aspirants who stood their grounds that they may not step down and insisted on going to the primaries intending to arresting some faulted grounds for litigation.

Now that, the prediction has surfaced and the outcome of the primaries is allegedly marred by series of irregularities as pointed in the respective appeals to the APC National committee by the aggrived candidates what next for Zannan Bungudu??.

In all honesty is to face the reconciliation projects very seriously and with all sense of reality because he has no much time to waste.

The battle line now is, how can Zannan Bungudu survive this political desperation by his opponents who are very much willing from their body language to fight these irregularities pointed to finishing from the lower to the apex court.

GROUNDS RAISED BY DR. BASHIR MARU IN HIS LETTER OF APPEAL TO THE APC

Maru alleged in the petition that, “delegates were handpicked in an arbitrary manner without the knowledge or input of the aspirants”.

Delegate’s list was changed on several occasions despite the earlier submission of same to the Independent National Electoral (INEC)”.

Raising alarm on the credibility of the accreditation during the exercise, Maru captured in his petition that “during the primaries, at least five (5) delegates were identified as ghost
Identities as testified by those who knows them from their poling wards”.

He further alleged that, “no accreditation was carried out instead only roll call was done in contravention of APC Constitutions and electoral guidelines”.

“The Overwhelming majority of those who voted are replacements of those names earlier sent to INEC. The guidelines stated unambiguously that membership Card and permanent voters cards (PVCs) should be means of identification during accreditation, but no such was done”.

Maru alleged further that “the Chairman of the Electoral Panel seems to have compromise even before reaching the venue of the exercise because when confronted about method accreditation he sheepishly said he forgot the guidelines at his lodge”.

He further stated in the petition that “delegates were hijacked and lodge at Command Guest House, Gusau several kilometers away from their constituency against their wish days before the primaries.

He also alleged that, “delegates were all administered a binding oath with the holy qur’an to do the bidding of choosing an ‘’anointed candidate”. Sadly, too, aspirants were prevented from getting access to them”.

“At the venue of the primaries, the Zamfara State Commissioner for Special Duties and Member of the State House of Assembly, Maru North Constituency Yusuf Alhassan Kanoma were seen and captured on video recording hijacking ballot papers from the delegates and voting on their behalf in breach of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2022 Electoral Act (as amended), APC Constitutions and Guidelines and INEC Guidelines”.

Maru also alleged that ‘’the venue of the election was heavily militarized with security aides of the Speaker, Zamfara State House of Assembly, APC State Party Chairman, Commissioners, Special Advisers and Local Government Chairmen Majority of whom were not even from the constituency (For Example the Speaker’s own Primary Election was ongoing concurrently at the time but choose to spearhead the electoral malpractice at our federal constituency”.

“In the same manner thugs and the notorious yansakai were deployed to intimidate aspirants, their agents, and delegates”.

“Based on the above grounds, it is fair the whole charade is canceled and in order for the repeat of the whole exercise by taking advantage of INEC six days window period”.

“It is my prayers that the panel leaves up to the expectation and be that unbiased umpire in order not to have a replay of the 2019 scenario where our Federal Constituency risk not having a validly nominated candidate for the purpose of 2023 General Election”.

GROUNDS RAISED BY ABDULRAHAMAN TUMBIDO (KOGUNAN MARU

Kogunan Maru is asking for the APC to nullify the primary election on the ground of illegibility of the candidate that was returned elected Abdulmalik Zubairu Zannan Bungudu to participate in the exercise.

He said in the petition “up to the time of the conduct of the primaries 27th May 2022, Abdulmalik Zubairu was a card-carrying member of the PDP and that he was never issued with any waiver by the national headquarters of the party to contest”.

He also alleged that, the primary election conducted was full of irregularities,, especially as it relates to change of list of delegates, and detection of the five delegates who are ghost but brought to the venue to cast votes.

He further alleged that, appropriate electoral guidelines were not followed during the accreditation process and accused some state government officials from hijacking the voting process from the delegates.

“At the venue of the primaries Zamfara State Commissioner for Special Duties and member of the state house of assembly for Maru North constituency were seen and captured on video hijacking ballot papers from the delegates and writing the name of Abdulmalik Bungudu against the provision of the law”.

He also alleged that the venue of the election was heavily militarized with the security aides of the Speaker and other top government appointees, and even alleged that the Speaker abandoned his own primary election simply to come and support the purported political impunity.

Kogunan Maru also alleged in his petition that, “thugs and notorious Yansakai were deployed by Abdulmalik Zubairu and his supporters to intimidate me and other aspirants, including our agents and delegates. One of my agents was beating by the hired thugs”.

He also alleged that some government appointees participated as delegates in violation of the clear provision of our extant laws.

He urged the members of the appeal committee to cancel the election and order for the conduct of a fresh, free and fair election.

WHAT NEXT FOR ZANNAN BUNGUDU???

I think as politician, Zannan Bungudu should be reminded that the challenges ahead are so tedious that not even the Governor or former Governor Yari can assure him of his safety politically.

He should always remember that political crises emanating from internal party elections had in many times resulted to nullification of elections by courts. In Katsina we have had that scenario where ten lawmakers were removed and replaced by others due to pre-election matter.

Rotimi Amechi versus Celestine Omehia was another clear example of how pre-election case resulted to aging out of Celestine Omehia out of Nigeria’s political scene.

Zanna should also note that, none of the ground raised by these aggrieved candidates cannot be tested before the Court of law so this is the right time to confront this situation and end the political crises in his constituency.